With large populations of each, the greater Dallas area is teeming with Thai and Lao culture, and in turn, great Thai and Lao food. The neighboring Southeast Asian countries share many similarities when it comes to their cuisine, with a spotlight on rice and noodle dishes, aromatic curries, and meat dishes spiced with fresh herbs and peppers.
Whether a hearty meal of street eats is calling your name, or simply a comforting platter of sweet and savory pad Thai, this list of local Thai and Lao establishments will satisfy cravings every time.
Sikhay Thai Lao Restaurant
Sikhay Thai Lao has all of the comfort-food favorites. Find pad Thai, drunken noodles, and shrimp fried in wonton paper, alongside Lao dishes you won’t find as easily around the Metroplex, including beef soup and vermicelli noodle salad. In addition to Thai and Lao cuisine, Sikhay is known for its extensive menu of bubble teas. Grab a cozy booth and dig in. 3301 NE 28th St., Fort Worth, sikhaythailaorestaurant.cfd
Trinity Street Food
Very much off the beaten path, Trinity Street Food in Euless is a delightful surprise. Enjoy pad Thai, pad kee mow, pad see ew, and other beloved noodle dishes, along with specialty dishes like baked mussels on the half shell and deep-fried soft-shell crab in a homemade pepper-garlic sauce. Leave room for dessert because the mango sticky rice is just as marvelous as it looks. 135 S. Ector Dr., Euless, trinitystreetfood.com
Ka Thai
There’s a reason this place has three outposts around Dallas. Ka Thai is a reliable go-to for consistently tasty Thai food in a modern and attractive setting. The Uptown location is especially pretty, with wicker furniture and lots of natural light and greenery, but the main draw for all of the restaurants is undoubtedly the food. Find Thai traditions like crab fried rice packed with white onion, scallions, and tomatoes; fragrant tom yum soup; and noodle dishes like pad see ew and pad Thai with chicken and shrimp. Add one of Ka Thai’s tropical cocktails to take the edge off those fiery Thai chiles. Multiple locations, kathairestaurant.com
Ly Food Market
You may not know by looking at it, but this small family-run Southeast Asian supermarket in Oak Cliff serves up some of the spiciest, most delicious Thai and Lao food in Dallas. Order at the register, and pick up your order at the little window in the back. Pull up a seat, and prepare to get hooked on dishes like crispy spring rolls, papaya salad, and Lao sausage. Meals at Ly Food Market may soon become a weekly ritual. 4440 Illinois Ave. #400a, Dallas, lyfoodmarket.square.site
Zaap Kitchen
This little fast-casual Lao and Thai chain has nine outposts around the Metroplex that are open for lunch and dinner daily. Enjoy dishes like laab salad, yellow curry over sticky rice, and the restaurant’s famous homemade beef jerky. Soothe your palate with a sweet Thai iced tea, and save room for the sticky rice with mango for dessert. Multiple locations, zaapkitchen.com
Sunday Market at the Buddhist Temple of Dallas
Among the traditional cultural events around the Metroplex, the Sunday Market ranks up there among the most beloved. Outside this Buddhist temple every Sunday, vendors sling delicious, inexpensive (most items cost under $10) Thai street food, including larb, noodle dishes, and mango sticky rice. Sit outside if the weather permits, or take your food to go. Note: Most vendors accept cash only. 8484 Stults Rd., Dallas
Ka-Tip Thai Street Food
Ka-Tip started as a tiny operation in the Dallas Farmer’s Market, a stone’s throw from what is now its brick-and-mortar location. The counter-service restaurant, known for using family recipes, features dishes that will transport you to the streets of Bangkok. Indulge in fried chive cakes, spicy chicken larb, and sate with peanut dipping sauce served in little cardboard boats. 1011 S. Pearl Expy. Ste. 190, Dallas katipthaidallas.com
Crushcraft Thai Eats
This casual neighborhood restaurant in Uptown famously appeared on an episode of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and is a favorite among many Dallasites. One of its major draws is that Crushcraft is easy on the pocketbook, with a number of $10 noodle dishes and $12 curries. Other standouts include wok-fired crispy garlic chicken over jasmine rice and grilled beef and pork meatball skewers. Crushcraft doesn’t skimp on the spice, so pair your meal with a cold Singha. 2688 Laclede St. #100, Dallas, crushcraftthai.com
Manee Thai
A neighborhood favorite in Frisco since 2022, Manee got so popular that it opened an outpost in the Colony at the beginning of 2025. The menu, with both Thai and Lao sections, is so long that you could eat here every day of the year without getting bored. Try the red curry with fresh pumpkin. Pro tip: At Manee, “Thai spicy” is a five-alarm fire, so don’t even speak the words unless you mean them. Multiple locations, maneethaitx.com
Bambu
What makes this little Richardson spot so special is that all of the recipes come from the Isan region in northeastern Thailand. Isan cuisine isn’t commonly seen in the United States, but in Thailand, it’s wildly popular for its spice, fish pastes, and freshness. Isan food centers on fresh herbs, which Bambu’s owner grows in her private garden. Start with a cocktail and an order of Mieng Kim: toasted coconut, dried baby shrimp, ginger, lemongrass, red onion, peanut, lime, and shrimp paste atop an arrangement of betel leaves. 1930 North Coit, Ste. 100 Richardson, bambuasiancuisine.com/
